2024 Lucid Air Reviews, Pricing & Specs

The 2024 Lucid Air's slippery shape fits the name. Its smooth body panels have more in common with the famous Airstream trailer than a generic, computer-optimized mass. There are edges and definition, such as the silver strip that caps the inset headlights and front sensors, or the vertical daytime running lights (DRLs) and concave lower door panels. The long, extra-raked windshield contrasts with a shorter, smaller rear window. Instead of a trunk or hatch, Lucid went with both. The lid opens like a wide hatch, with cutlines extended into the fenders, but is separate from the fixed wraparound glass. The C-pillar, which terminates on most sedans at the beginning of the rear wheel arch, is pushed back toward the rear, sandwiched between two pieces of glass. There are the typical flat-dish wheels and retractable door handles, but, as we noted in our 2023 review, the Air is remarkably "distinctive instead of derivative." This is an elegant, expensive shape that Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Cadillac have all failed to make in a four-door electric sedan.

Another extravagant and beautiful touch is the Glass Canopy, which extends the windshield seamlessly into the front moonroof (and has sun visors that appear to float on the transparent glass). A small central pillar divides the front and rear moonroofs for structural integrity, though it looks seamless on the outside. It's an option on every trim level except the entry-level Pure and includes a silver or gray accent along the side edge of the car. Taller drivers, however, may want to skip this option as it limits headroom.

Lucid has six elegant wheels sized from 19 to 21 inches and finished in either silver or black, while the Lucid Air Sapphire comes only with black, 10-spoke center-lock wheels. Due to weight savings and extreme performance requirements, the Sapphire does not offer the Glass Canopy. Onlookers can spot the Sapphire easily, since it comes in only one color, Sapphire Blue, with matching blue brake calipers, a black roof, and a fin on the trunk.

Inside, Lucid pulls off simplicity without appearing cheap and achieves technological prowess without exaggeratingly large infotainment displays. Screens are abundant, but they're not the focal point. They float elegantly while integrating into the dash. It's a clean, Audi-like approach to interior design, and it is befitting a luxury car interior. Moreover, there are real buttons and switches, two of which are pieces of art (the knurled, jet engine-styled thumb controls on the steering wheel). Materials are impressive, such as the fabric lining the doors, the light wood trim, and the use of actual leather. The attention to detail and fitment are excellent. On certain models, you can order the Air with contrasting colors for the front seats and rear seats. It's lovely when priced between 70 and 100 grand, though the Sapphire falls very short at $250,000. Given its exclusivity and price, Lucid should deliver more than a stark black cabin.

At a Lucid test drive event in New York City, we sampled three of the four trims (the Lucid Air Pure, Touring, and Sapphire). We started with the most stupendous, the 1234-horsepower Sapphire, feathering its three electric motors out of Manhattan's West Side in thick afternoon traffic. For a car that can reach 60 mph in half a city block (Lucid claims under two seconds), you would rightly expect to modulate the throttle as if there were whole eggs under the pedal. Instead, the default driving mode is relaxed, predictable, and requires a very deliberate push before it launches into the Hudson River. It's here on terrible pavement, crawling from light to light, that Lucid's suspension engineers have worked their magic. Despite 20-inch front and 21-inch rear tires, the Air Sapphire soaks up cracks and bumps without any of the brittleness of a traditional sports car. Even on the West Side Highway, where undulations and expansion joints mar the pavement all the way into the Bronx, the Sapphire tracks like the road were glass. It's exceptionally behaved.

On the Palisades Parkway, we experienced motion sickness. This is the quickest accelerating car this side of a Bugatti, and the response from midrange (say, 30 to 50 mph) is even quicker. The surge doesn't let up, either, unlike most performance EVs which peter out in the low triple digits (we verified this on track at a separate Lucid event). The top speed is 205 mph, and that claim is entirely believable. The chassis and steering are unshakable, which can't be said of the Tesla Model S Plaid. It's also more enjoyable—and the grip even greater—than a Porsche Taycan Turbo S. Dare we say the Sapphire is too fast. It's mind-boggling in the same vein as the best hypercars that sell for millions.

Braking regen is adjustable by two settings, and in the Standard mode, it's not too abrupt and allows the car to coast gently. The pedal feel is decent, and the giant carbon ceramic discs (16.5 inches in front and 15.4 inches out back) are up to the task of grinding 5,300 pounds of Lucid to a halt. At this point, it's most relevant to put the Sapphire into perspective. Any Air is a long, wide, and heavy car. The suspension, even without any trick anti-roll bars or air springs, is perfection within the car's limits. The Air reveals its outsize heft and stature when whipping into tight corners and even tighter lanes. No car can outrun science. But the Air makes a very good case that maybe, somehow, it might do it anyway.

The Pure, which for 2024 is only sold as a rear-wheel drive (RWD) trim, and the all-wheel drive (AWD) Touring ride and handle just as well, albeit at lower speeds and traction limits. Within the Air lineup, the single-motor Pure is the best bet in terms of specs for the price, with 430 horsepower, a 410-mile range, and 60 mph in 4.5 seconds. That's all anyone could desire. The dual-motor Touring trim has 620 hp, a 411-mile range, and drops roughly a second from the acceleration sprint. Both trims have a 92-kWh battery pack, while the Grand Touring and high-performance Sapphire have 112 kWh. Only in the Lucid Air Grand Touring, with the smallest 19-inch wheels, is it possible to approach the claimed EPA-rated 516 miles of range. That's more than any EV ever and more than most gas-powered luxury performance sedans.

We didn't have a chance to test range or charging for this review. The Air uses 300-kW DC fast charging (from a 900-volt architecture) and can charge at speeds up to 19.2 kW at home using a Level 1 charger. Your mileage will certainly vary, and those sky-high estimates won't be possible when driving hard or in hot conditions, as we discovered in a 2023 test. Just know that the Grand Touring especially has more reserves than in most EVs.

The Air seems easy enough to live with on a daily basis. There are some physical controls for the climate control, stereo, cruise control, and a stalk for the gear selector. Vehicle functions are easily found on the bright and crisp lower touchscreen, such as the driving modes. But while there's a dedicated third touchscreen for headlights, defroster, and wipers, it's quite difficult to adjust the steering column or mirrors. You have to wade into the lower touchscreen again, when they could have been simple switches. At least Lucid hasn't made the air vents digital, as Porsche and Rivian have done for mere giggles. But the lack of immediate access to important driver adjustments is just as disconcerting as the lack of an on/off button. The car turns itself on and off automatically, and sometimes, it goes on even if you're standing near the car with the key in your pocket, but with no intent to drive.

While forward visibility is excellent, side and rear visibility are poor due to the aggressively sloped A-pillars and small windows. You'll need to crane your neck to avoid hitting a noggin on the roof when entering and exiting. Interior storage is good, though, as the lower touchscreen can retract into the dash to free up bin space behind it. The center cubby is also a decent size, there are door map pockets (unlike Tesla), and the seats are very comfortable and supportive. The driving position is also ideal. Lucid notes that the Air offers 22.1 cubic feet of cargo space (including some underfloor storage), but the clamshell design makes it difficult to access the full capacity. 9.9 cubic feet of storage space is also available under the hood, in the Air’s front trunk (frunk).

Ahead of the driver is a 34-inch curved housing with three separate displays in 5K resolution. It's very crisp and clear. Our initial test revealed buggy and laggy software, but this appears to have been resolved. Across all three cars we tested, we had no issues or glitches with any of the displays. They proved to be quick and responsive.

Helpfully, the nav can be displayed on either of the central touchscreens, so you can see two large views independently (say, a wider view of the route on one and a close-up view on the other). Wireless Apple CarPlay worked flawlessly, though we preferred Lucid's own system as the Apple interface is restricted to a smaller rectangle in only the top touchscreen. Android Auto wasn’t available on our test vehicle, although Lucid has announced that it is coming via an over-the-air (OTA) update later in 2024. The stereo is average in all of the Lucid Air models. It's light on bass and not up to the surround processing of Mercedes-Benz and other automakers with premium systems.

The Lucid Air has neither been rated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration nor the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. A 2022 model has been rated five out of five stars by Euro NCAP and earned a 90 percent rating for adult occupants (the results are not directly comparable to U.S. tests). Eight airbags come standard along with DreamDrive, which includes forward and rear emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, auto high beams, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, and traffic sign recognition.

We briefly tried Lucid's DreamDrive Pro, which is a semi-automated highway assist that isn't yet approved for hands-free use. We can confirm that Lucid has updated the lane-departure warning system so it doesn't fight the driver as it did during our first test. That's a benefit of OTA updates, though truly, no automaker should ever release features in beta or those that work poorly. Else, there are no gimmicks in the Air. Lucid isn't going for fart noises, games, or other silly apps and nonsense that you might find in other electric vehicles.

The 2024 Lucid Air Pure RWD starts at $69,900, a drop of nearly $20,000 from 2023. The more powerful Touring model is $77,900 and the quicker and longest-range Grand Touring is $109,000. All prices are down except the Sapphire, which is $249,000, loaded. Options on most trims include wheels, upholstery, the glass roof, stereos, driver assists, and paint colors.

At the lower end, the Air is a superb value among electric or gasoline cars. Its style, quality, estimated range, and driving experience are enough to recommend it as someone's only car, if that someone has the home to accommodate a charging station. The Sapphire is a engineering flex, and a superb one at that. Lucid plans to expand its model lineup with the Gravity SUV coming later in 2024, but for now, the Air is desirable for all the right reasons with fewer drawbacks that plague most luxury EVs.